AGL, 2019, report no. 1100316: Colombia, minor clarity enhancement, traditional type.

Exhibited: Grand Palais, Paris 2017, p. 53, no. 35
The Doge’s Palace, Venice 2017, p. 68, no. 27
The Palace Museum, Beijing 2018, p. 80, no. 28

Note: Inherited by the Mughals from their ancestors, the Timurids, the traditional form of a bazuband was to be worn on the upper arm. They were usually composed of a large stone of the highest quality, chosen to ward off certain malefic effects and sometimes engraved for additional ‘power’, strung on silk cords and directly applied against the skin to guard the wearer from his enemies in battle. They became more ornate throughout the centuries, becoming symbols of aristocracy and masculinity, and ultimately being an important accessory to the rulers. They were even more significant during the provincial rule, when all the Maharajas and Nawabs wore them to identify their role.